Some More Blog Counts

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Collaborators

Was looking for new weblogs, didn't find any and got distracted by the TTLB ecosystem (vanity makes me do it. IBC current status in the TTLB Blogosphere Ecosystem ~ slithering reptile). Anyway, TTLB have just launched Campaign Truth 2004.

The intent of Campaign Truth is to provide a portal where bloggers and other interested folk can gather links to information which sheds light on where the candidates stand on issues in the (US) 2004 Presidential Campaign.

Hmm you wonder, where is this going and what has it to do with Iraq? Well, upon careful scrutiny it appears there are two whole pages dedicated to Iraq. One page for Kerry-Edwards and one for Bush-Cheney (there are also two whole pages dedicated to Iran as per previous). It seemed ever so slightly relevant, seeing as some of you reading will probably be voting in this election. Campaign Truth 2004 is a collaborative project, if you're interested just pop along and read the campaign FAQ. My favourite FAQ ~

Q: Can I post my screed about why Candidate X is a lying evil menace who eats small children for breakfast?

A: We'd really rather you didn't. The emphasis here is on facts, and on well-argued, rational opinion pieces. If, on the other hand, you have actual evidence of Candidate X's fondness for toddlers with his morning coffee, then that is fair game.

Ihath,I know you weren't asking me but I don't think it is true that Jeffrey has nothing to contribute. He is angry, yes, but so is Alvaro and Bruno....and besides I think it helps to have the two sides discuss, not argue, their points. This blog is the next best thing to an actual meeting. They get to air the opinions and hopefully come to a mutual understanding, not an agreement, per se, but just an understanding. I think it can happen. Now, that being said, perhaps Jeffrey could lay off the curse words. That would help a great deal.

I was once tempted by a similar thought re bans. As far as crusades go, being a heathen/infidil/godless peasant i have never much been one for holy wars. Besides, for some inexplicable reason J's latest outburst has sailed right by me. I really think he is just trying things on, i'd leave his comments, it will pass.

And let's make this clear to everyone posting here. Why someone holds one position over another is usually more about emotion than reason. Emotion then goes hunting for reasons to back up your original gut-feeling. There are times when a preponderance of evidence forces one to change your opinion, but it doesn't happen very often. Brunhilda and Alvaro are good examples of people who are visceral anti-Americans always searching for "evidence" to support their hatred. Listen, I'm a composition teacher and we work on this every semester. It's nothing new.

Jeffrey, pause for one moment, cease fire. Try not to let the comma splices, the lower case i's and me* get under your skin. Now, reflect upon your recent commenting. Let us take this example of yours from 12.55AM IBC time; "If I could, I would put a bullet right between your eyes that would go in clean and blow the back of your head off."

Yeouch. Now, imagine the moderators of this blog were less forgiving. Imagine those moderators decided that comment at 12.55AM IBC time, on top of all the previous swearing, was just one comment too many. Imagine that you were banned from this web log. Imagine your rage, your anger, your fury and pain escalate at such unfair treatment to the point where you actually went out, procured a weapon and proceeded to hunt down and blow the back of several heads off (icky, this analogy is becoming uncomfortable, however i shall continue). In that one moment, Jeffrey, you step into extremism, the territory of the terrorist, the territory of those who you proclaim so loud and so elaborately to despise.

Now. Let us pause again and chose another comment, another comment of yours, Jeffrey, a comment 1.07AM IBC time; "nothing is more pathetic than the vile contortions of a once-powerful elete minority." (i really hope you don't mind Jeffrey, that is not a direct quote, i added an "a" to help it flow better). Do you see the misery, the mirror, Jeffrey, do you see the pain? Do you see the spurned commenter, former teacher, once powerful elete minority, become vile and twisted by anger?

I see it Jeffrey and i weep.

Now, go take a nice warm bath and fret not, for the moderators here desire no such thing, they wish only to protect their young and though they may consider erecting certain barriers and expect certain standards to be upheld they have no desire to push anyone over the edge into extremism. As always, please desist from swearing (in particular at those younger then yourself). Your other comments can remain and *sigh* will probably continue. I understand some of the subtle insult exchanging between yourself and other commenters here (--Bruno-- it does not pass completely underneath the radar you know) is a part of male dialogue that although i do not condone i cannot change, several hundred thousand years of evolution thwart me in that.